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Adaptive Immunity

Apart from the innate immunity that a person is born with, a secondary form of immunity, known as adaptive or acquired, develops to meet the specific needs brought about by an individual’s circumstances. This type of immunity constantly evolves its capacity to defend the body against pathogens. Higher vertebrates and all mammals have adaptive immunity, strengthened as a result of exposure to diseases. Vaccinations also facilitate the adaptive system’s efficiency.

The fundamental characteristic of adaptive immunity is that its response to a pathogen is specific and inducible: It reacts only to the specific microorganism causing an infection, and, in doing so, induces the creation of more of the anti-microbial elements necessary to eliminate the threat. Leukocytes, commonly known as white blood cells, are the dedicated agents of acquired immunity. They are found in the stem cells of a bone marrow, and, when matured, in the lymph nodes and the thymus.

The mammalian adaptive immune system can be broken down into two components: humoral and cell-mediated. Humoral immunity involves the production of immunoglobins (antibodies) by B cells in response to bacteria and viruses. Cell-mediated immunity involves the production of immunoglobins by T cells in response to virus-infected cells.

Book Resources On Adaptive Immunity

Immunobiology by Charles Janeway
How the Immune System Works by Lauren Sompayrac

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